Small Mass. stores pin hopes on 'Small Business Saturday'

A flag urging customers to "Shop Local" is staked near the "A Basket Full" store in Boalsburg, Pa., Friday.

Massachusetts mom-and-pop shop owners are urging consumers to do their holiday shopping at local businesses a day after big box retailers and online vendors cornered the Black Friday market.

Owners of small, local businesses urge consumers to support them on "Small Business Saturday," which occurs during one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year.

The small-business promotion is sandwiched between Black Friday — the day after Thanksgiving when many large-store chains advertise deals to attract shoppers to their stores and Cyber Monday when Internet retailers have special offers to entice people to spend online.

The initiative was established in 2010 and is intended to encourage shoppers to patronize independent local businesses.

Political and business leaders say spending holiday shopping dollars on small businesses will boost local economies.